1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to building construction and, in particular, concerns a clamping device for use with I-beams in order to mount interior walls in buildings.
2. Description of the Related Art
Mounting the interior walls of commercial buildings requires a significant effort. Conventionally, metal pieces, commonly referred to as “stickers”, are welded at periodic intervals to load bearing I-beams, which support the building. An upper surface of a sticker is welded to the lower flange of an I-beam and a strut is attached to the lower surface of the sticker by screws or other fasteners. The strut is then used to frame the interior wall and provide an attachment point for other wall members, such as dry wall sheets and the like. In this fashion, the interior wall is supported by the I-beam without directly piercing the I-beam with mechanical fasteners, which can weaken the I-beam, in keeping with building code.
This fabrication method is expensive and time consuming, however. Welds must be performed by a welder who possesses significant, specialized experience. Furthermore, each sticker is welded over approximately 12 inches, requiring significant time to properly perform, even for an experienced welder. Additionally, the stickers are closely spaced along the I-beam, on the order of feet, meaning that numerous stickers are utilized in a building. Moreover, the welds must be inspected and tested to ensure they meet building code requirements. All of these factors significantly add to the time and cost of fabricating a building.
From the foregoing, it is apparent that there is need for a construction device for securing an interior wall of a building to an I-beam which may be deployed faster and at reduced cost than present devices. To this end, there is a need for a securing device that reduces the need for expensive weld attachments.